Most of us are not leading our ideal lives. We aren't happy with the money we make, we spend too much time at the jobs we don't like, and we give in to daily stressors far too easily. But these things aren't the reasons we're unhappy—they're the symptoms.

Lifehacker has always been about "tips and tricks for getting things done," but living a better life is more than that. We all know the real solution to our problems isn't a better way to chop onions or the next calendar app. Those things serve a purpose—after all, we have to chop onions for dinner tonight, and we still need calendars to get through the day—but if we aren't working to fix the bigger problem, they'll never get us where we want to go.

If we actually try become a better version of ourselves, the other things are much more likely to fall into place. So it's time we start asking the more important questions, too. Like: Why aren't I happy?

It's a big question, and it won't be quick to answer. And it's something we've already been doingquite a bit. But once upon a time, we described Lifehacker's attitude in one word: helpful. And if our goal is to be truly helpful, it's time to start moving full steam ahead. We should also aim to motivate—with the same underlying practicality we've always had—our readers to actually live a better life.